The US has the worst record in the industrialized world for
regulating toxic chemicals thanks to the stranglehold powerful corporate
lobbies have on Congress, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As a doctor, I am understandably concerned
that millions of Americans may be systematically poisoning themselves with
common household products, toiletries and cosmetics. In this article, I list
some of the more dangerous products, as well as providing links to databases
that suggest. I even include some simple
recipes at the end for homemade alternatives. It is also essential for all American
consumers to support the 2010 Safe Cosmetics Act presently in Congress which
would greatly strengthen FDA oversight for a virtually unregulated industry
(see http://www.safecosmetics.org/section.php?id=74).

At present, I believe
Americans are at highest risk from endocrine disruptors found in most
commercial cleaning and beauty products. These are chemicals that mimic
estrogen and other hormones in their effect on the human body. Many epidemiologists
believe they are linked to the current epidemic of breast cancer, premature
puberty, and both male and female infertility. However I also worry about
evidence linking other synthetic chemical to the big increase in cancer
prevalence that occurred with the "better living through chemistry" revolution
that occurred after World War II. What many people forget is that cancer was an
extremely rare condition prior to the industrial revolution. I also find the
current epidemic of asthma epidemic in children - and its apparent link to the
use of commercial household cleaners during pregnancy,- extremely alarming.

(from www.tree.hugger.com/files/2009/1/why-is-there-a-frog-disrupter-toothpaste.php).
The phthalates and bisphenyl-A found in plastic water bottles, pacifiers, and
baby toys has been pretty well publicized. Many Americans consumers seem well
aware that these compounds function as synthetic estrogens and that they cause
feminization of frogs and fish, and possibly breast cancer, premature puberty,
and low sperm counts in men.

There is much less public
awareness that nearly all commercial shampoos, hand and body lotions,
deodorants, toothpaste, and sunscreen contain preservatives that function as estrogen-like
endocrine disruptors. The US bans only eight of these compounds. In contrast the
EU bans more than 1,000.

The problem with widespread
use of these products is that the harm they cause they cause to individuals who
use them for years on end (and their children and pets) is compounded when they
are flushed down the drain and accumulate in our waterways. Studies of
indigenous populations in both the third world and the Arctic
reveal they have a hundred or so of these toxic chemicals in their blood stream
and breast milk even though most of them have never even heard of Right Guard
or Colgate toothpaste.

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One of the worst offenders is
the paraben class of compounds (mostly found as methyparaben or PABA),
which is used as a preservative in nearly all commercial toiletries. The second
most common is triclosan, found
in numerous so-called antibacterial products, including the following:

I am a 63 year old American child and adolescent psychiatrist and political refugee in New Zealand. I have just published a young adult novel THE BATTLE FOR TOMORROW (which won a NABE Pinnacle Achievement Award) about a 16 year old girl who (more...)